Ukrainian forces staged one in every of their largest drone assaults on Russia since Moscow’s invasion greater than 4 years in the past, firing virtually 800 drones simply two days after launching an analogous salvo, officers mentioned Tuesday (August 18, 2026).
In the meantime, a Russian missile strike on a village in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv area killed not less than 10 folks and wounded eight others because the barrage demolished properties, officers mentioned Tuesday (August 18, 2026).
The warring nations are locked in an escalating duel of long-range aerial strikes. Preventing on the roughly 1,250-kilometre (780-mile) entrance line in japanese and southern Ukraine is restricted by giant numbers of drones and floor robots threatening troop actions, and neither aspect is making important battlefield progress, analysts say.
Russia’s Putin resists stress for peace talks
Over the previous 12 months Ukraine has devised and deployed domestically produced long-range drones for strikes deep inside Russia. Its drone expertise has impressed governments and defence producers around the globe.
Kyiv officers goal to make the Russian public really feel the conflict’s penalties and stress Russian President Vladimir Putin into negotiating a peace settlement. Putin has up to now proven no signal he intends to cease the invasion.
“Putin continues to tug out the conflict as a substitute of accepting Ukraine’s practical ceasefire proposals and ending the bloodshed,” Ukrainian International Minister Andrii Sybiha mentioned in a publish on X.
Russian air defences in a single day intercepted 791 Ukrainian drones over various Russian areas, in addition to annexed Crimea and the Black and the Azov seas, the Protection Ministry in Moscow mentioned, in what was the second-largest drone assault since January 2025, in keeping with an Related Press tally.
Greater than 600 Ukrainian drones flew towards the Moscow area, the place 180 have been shot down, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin mentioned. He did not present additional particulars.
Officers reported no deaths or main harm. Ukraine has more and more launched swarms of a whole lot of drones in an try and overwhelm Russian air defenses.
Within the Moscow area that surrounds however does not embrace the Russian capital, three folks have been wounded, Gov Andrei Vorobyov mentioned.
Three folks have been additionally wounded within the Ryazan area adjoining to the Moscow area the place three non-public homes have been broken by the assault, Gov. Pavel Malkov mentioned.
The in a single day assault began a fireplace at a warehouse of Wildberries, Russia’s largest on-line retailer, in an industrial zone. Ukraine has repeatedly focused the corporate’s depots, which it says assist provide the Russian army.
Wildberries mentioned its facility sustained “insignificant harm.” Russian TV does not report information of the assault
Protection of the assault in state and Kremlin-backed Russian media was largely muted, as is commonly the case.
Russia’s essential tv channels — state-run Russia 1 and Channel One — didn’t point out the assault in any respect of their morning information bulletins.
However Russian state information company RIA Novosti featured it among the many essential information on its web site’s homepage, describing it as “some of the large-scale assaults on Moscow for the reason that starting of the summer time.” State newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta on its web site prominently featured a roundup of what Moscow area Gov. Andrei Vorobyov reported in regards to the assault on the realm, describing it as “large” within the headline. Professional-Kremlin tabloid MK featured a information temporary in regards to the assault on its house web page.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy accuses Russia of a ‘brutal assault’ on civilians
A Russian missile strike on the village of Pechenihy in Ukraine’s Kharkiv area killed 10 civilians, in keeping with preliminary data, mentioned Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional army administration.
One other 17 folks have been wounded, he mentioned. Mr. Zelenskyy known as it “a brutal assault” that broken 10 properties, a restaurant, a publish workplace, a retailer and not less than seven automobiles, in keeping with Syniehubov.
“We will certainly reply to this Russian strike,” Mr. Zelenskyy mentioned on social media.
Additionally, three folks have been killed and three others have been wounded over the previous day in Russian assaults on Ukraine’s Sumy area, together with drone strikes and an explosive system blast, Ukraine’s Nationwide Police mentioned.
U.Okay. vows continued Ukraine help, regardless of Moscow’s threats
The U.Okay. Defence Ministry mentioned Tuesday that it will not budge from its army help for Kyiv, after Russia mentioned that Ukraine’s reported use of British drones for assaults on Russian soil would carry unidentified penalties for London.
“Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, and we’re dedicated to offering the gear Ukraine must defend itself towards Putin’s unlawful invasion,” a British protection spokesperson mentioned.
British newspaper The Sunday Occasions reported that two U.Okay. firms made drones utilized by Ukraine to hit Russia.
Following the report, the Russian embassy within the U.Okay. mentioned in an announcement that “London’s actions will inevitably carry penalties.”
Revealed – August 18, 2026 05:10 pm IST
